England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
